1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for splicing optical fibers, and more particularly, a highly efficient and accurate process and apparatus for splicing optical fibers.
2. Technical Background
The process of fusion splicing is utilized in manufacturing a wide variety of optical devices, including photonic devices, fiber gain modules, dispersion compensation modules, multi-clad couplers, micro-optic components, etc., as well as in the installation of fiber spans for telecommunications networks. In most applications, the fusion splicing process is utilized to achieve a glass-to-glass bond so that an optical signal may be effectively coupled across the interface with minimal loss.
The process of splicing together optical fibers and splicing optical fibers to optical components, or optical components to one another typically includes several manual steps involving extensive fiber handling between multiple pieces of processing equipment. Heretofore, the process of splicing optical fibers has included removing the polymer coating from the fiber cladding via mechanical, chemical, or thermal removal techniques. Typically, this step is accomplished using a hand-held mechanical stripping device, or a bench-top mounted thermal stripper. The exposed ends of the fibers are then cleaned by wiping the ends with an alcohol-soaked optical cleaning tissue or immersion of the fiber ends into an alcohol rinse bath that incorporates ultrasonic agitation. The fibers are then inserted into a cleaving device where the fiber ends are cleaved at a 90° angle to the optical axis of the fiber. The fibers are then manually removed from the cleaving device and inserted into an arc fusion splicer where the fiber ends are then spliced together. In most applications, the splicing process is accomplished with an arc-plasma generated between two tungsten electrodes. The fibers are then manually removed from the splicing apparatus and placed within a splice protection apparatus where the splice region between the two fibers is protected via a polymer coating that is either heat shrunk over the splice region, or injected around the fiber and UV-cured to recoat the exposed glass. Each of these process steps therefore requires manual loading, human operation, and manual unloading. The manipulation and handling of the fibers throughout and between each process step compromises fiber strength and may lead to failure during subsequent use.
A process for splicing optical fiber and other optical components that reduces the amount of manual labor required, while simultaneously increasing the accuracy of the process and the fiber strength resulting therefrom is therefore desired.